Rangdajied United, after having won the I-League second division, have qualified for the top division league this term. They are the second team from Shillong to ply their trade in the I-League after Shillong Lajong.

Coach Santosh Kashyap outlined the team’s goals ahead of their first game against United Sports Club on Sunday.

“We have a large fan base who have high expectations. We have to cope with the level of I-League and the pressure that comes along with it,” he told Goal.

“The team’s target is to play a good brand of football and avoid relegation. We will try to finish as high as possible thereafter – possibly in the top half of the table.”

Their opponents have started their pre-season quite late and on being asked whether it would hand Rangdajied an upper hand going into the tie, Kashyap said, “We have also started late in the sense that our foreign players have joined us only five days back.”

“However the advantage that we do have is having won our three games in the Shillong league which is of a decent standard. We have even beat Royal Wahingdoh and played well. The momentum is there and I am happy with the performance.”

Kashyap refused to take United Sports Club lightly and believes that the presence of experienced players will help them.

“They are a good side and have a lot of experience in them. I do think that will help them handle the situation. Compared to that, a lot of our players will be playing in the I-League for the first time. Let us see how we perform.”

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